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in speaking to me as you did； Damon； you will drive me to say words I would not wish to say to you。 I had given you up； and resolved not to think of you any more； and then I heard the news； and I came out and got the fire ready because I thought that you had been faithful to me。”
“What have you heard to make you think that？” said Wildeve； astonished。
“That you did not marry her！” she murmured exultingly。 “And I knew it was because you loved me best； and couldn’t do it。。。。Damon； you have been cruel to me to go away； and I have said I would never forgive you。 I do not think I can forgive you entirely； even now—it is too much for a woman of any spirit to quite overlook。”
“If I had known you wished to call me up here only to reproach me； I wouldn’t have e。”
“But I don’t mind it； and I do forgive you now that you have not married her； and have e back to me！”
“Who told you that I had not married her？”
“My grandfather。 He took a long walk today； and as he was ing home he overtook some person who told him of a broken…off wedding—he thought it might be yours； and I knew it was。”
“Does anybody else know？”
“I suppose not。 Now Damon； do you see why I lit my signal fire？ You did not think I would have lit it if I had imagined you to have bee the husband of this woman。 It is insulting my pride to suppose that。”
Wildeve was silent； it was evident that he had supposed as much。
“Did you indeed think I believed you were married？” she again demanded earnestly。 “Then you wronged me； and upon my life and heart I can hardly bear to recognize that you have such ill thoughts of me！ Damon； you are not worthy of me—I see it； and yet I love you。 Never mind； let it go—I must bear your mean opinion as best I may。。。。It is true； is it not；” she added with ill…concealed anxiety； on his making no demonstration； “that you could not bring yourself to give me up； and are still going to love me best of all？”
“Yes； or why should I have e？” he said touchily。 “Not that fidelity will be any great merit in me after your kind speech about my unworthiness； which should have been said by myself if by anybody； and es with an ill grace from you。 However； the curse of inflammability is upon me； and I must live under it； and take any snub from a woman。 It has brought me down from engineering to innkeeping—what lower stage it has in store for me I have yet to learn。” He continued to look upon her gloomily。
She seized the moment； and throwing back the shawl so that the firelight shone full upon her face and throat； said with a smile； “Have you seen anything better than that in your travels？”
Eustacia was not one to mit herself to such a position without good ground。 He said quietly； “No。”
“Not even on the shoulders of Thomasin？”
“Thomasin is a pleasing and innocent woman。”
“That’s nothing to do with it；” she cried with quick passionateness。 “We will leave her out； there are only you and me now to think of。” After a long look at him she resumed with the old quiescent warmth； “Must I go on weakly confessing to you things a woman ought to conceal； and own that no words can express how gloomy I have been because of that dreadful belief I held till two hours ago—that you had quite deserted me？”
“I am sorry I caused you that pain。”
“But perhaps it is not wholly because of you that I get gloomy；” she archly added。 “It is in my nature to feel like that。 It was born in my blood； I suppose。”
“Hypochondriasis。”
“Or else it was ing into this wild heath。 I was happy enough at Budmouth。 O the times； O the days at Budmouth！ But Egdon will be brighter again now。”
“I hope it will；” said Wildeve moodily。 “Do you know the consequence of this recall to me； my old darling？ I shall e to see you again as before； at Rainbarrow。”
“Of course you will。”
“And yet I declare that until I got here tonight I intended； after this one good…bye； never to meet you again。”
“I don’t thank you for that；” she said； turning away； while indignation spread through her like subterranean heat。 “You may e again to Rainbarrow if you like； but you won’t see me； and you may call； but I shall not listen； and you may tempt me； but I won’t give myself to you any more。”
“You have said as much before； sweet； but such natures as yours don’t so easily adhere to their words。 Neither； for the matter of that； do such natures as mine。”
“This is the pleasure I have won by my trouble；” she whispered bitterly。 “Why did I try to recall you？ Damon； a strange warring takes place in my mind occasionally。 I think when I bee calm after you woundings； ‘Do I embrace a cloud of mon fog after all？’ You are a chameleon； and now you are at your worst colour。 Go home； or I shall hate you！”
He looked absently towards Rainbarrow while one might have counted twenty； and said； as if he did not much mind all this； “Yes； I will go home。 Do you mean to see me again？”
“If you own to me that the wedding is broken off because you love me best。”
“I don’t think it would be good policy；” said Wildeve； smiling。
“You would get to know the extent of your power too clearly。”
“But tell me！”
“You know。”
“Where is she now？”
“I don’t know。 I prefer not to speak of her to you。 I have not yet married her； I have e in obedience to your call。 That is enough。”
“I merely lit that fire because I was dull； and thought I would get a little excitement by calling you up and triumphing over you as the Witch of Endor called up Samuel。 I determined you should e； and you have e！ I have shown my power。 A mile and half hither； and a mile and half back again to your home—three miles in the dark for me。 Have I not shown my power？”
He shook his head at her。 “I know you too well； my Eustacia；
I know you too well。 There isn’t a note in you which I don’t know； and that hot little bosom couldn’t play such a cold…blooded trick to save its life。 I saw a woman on Rainbarrow at dusk looking down towards my house。 I think I drew out you before you drew out me。”
The revived embers of an old passion glowed clearly in Wildeve now； and he leant forward as if about to put his face towards her cheek。
“O no；” she said； intractably moving to the other side of the decayed fire。 “What did you mean by that？”
“Perhaps I may kiss your hand？”
“No； you may not。”
“Then I may shake your hand？”
“No。”
“Then I wish you good night without caring for either。
Good…bye； good…bye。”
She returned no answer； and with the bow of a dancing…master he vanished on the other side of the pool as he had e。
Eustacia sighed—it was no fragile maiden sigh； but a
sigh which shook her like a shiver。 Whenever a flash
of reason darted like an electric light upon her lover…
？ as it sometimes would—and showed his imperfections； she shivered thus。 But it was over in a second； and she loved on。 She knew that he trifled with her； but she loved on。 She scattered the half…burnt brands； went indoors immediately； and up to her bedroom without a light。 Amid the rustles which denoted her to be undressing in the darkness other heavy breaths frequently came； and the same kind of shudder occasionally moved through her when； ten minutes later； she lay on her bed asleep。
7 … Queen of Night
Eustacia Vye was the raw material of a divinity。 On Olympus she would have done well with a little preparation。 She had the passions and instincts which make a model goddess； that is； those which make not quite a model woman。 Had it been possible for the earth and mankind to be entirely in her grasp for a while； she had handled the distaff； the spindle； and the shears at her own free will； few in the world would have noticed the change of government。 There would have been the same inequality of lot； the same heaping up of favours here； of contumely there； the same generosity before justice； the same perpetual dilemmas； the same captious alteration of caresses and blows that we endure now。
She was in person full…limbed and somewhat heavy； without ruddiness； as without pallor； and soft to the touch as a cloud。 To see her hair was to fancy that a whole winter did not contain darkness enough to form its shadow—it closed over her forehead like nightfall extinguishing the western glow。
Her nerves extended into those tresses； and her temper could always be softened by stroking them down。 When her hair was brushed she would instantly sink into stillness and look like the Sphinx。 If； in passing under one of the Egdon banks； any of its thick skeins were caught； as they sometimes were； by a prickly tuft of the large Ulex Europoeus—which will act as a sort of hairbrush—she would go back a few steps； and pass against it a second time。
She had pagan eyes； full of nocturnal mysteries； and their light； as it came and went； and came again； was partially hampered by their oppressive lids and lashes； and of these the under lid was much fuller than it usually is with English women。 This enabled her to indulge in reverie without seeming to do so—she might have been believed capable of sleeping without closing them up。 Assuming that the souls of men and women were visible essences； you could fancy the colour of Eustacia’s soul to be flamelike。 The